


forrest

by clicheusername5678



Series: Catradora Oneshots [9]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Catradora Moms, Domestic, F/F, Fluff, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, Some hurt/comfort, They love each other so much, and their family grows!, non-graphic birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 02:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18459368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clicheusername5678/pseuds/clicheusername5678
Summary: Adora and Catra are visiting the rehabilitated Fright Zone a decade after the war when Catra goes into early labor.





	forrest

The Fright Zone looked chillingly similar, ten years past the conclusion of the war.

“Watch your step,” Adora warned Catra, who held onto her wife’s arm as the procession from Bright Moon entered the settlement. After Hordak’s death and the Horde’s surrender, the Fright Zone had been transformed into a civilian living space, available to refugees and ex-soldiers. It was a part of Adora and Catra’s duties, along with Bow, Glimmer, Queen Angella, and few other key figures, to re-visit the area annually.

The two young women had grown into full adults, married at twenty-two, presently twenty-nine. Adora still wore her hair in that strange bumpy ponytail, her trusty red jacket having survived the war, her boots muddied and worn. She had developed slightly deeper lines beneath her eyes, age just beginning to show, although her muscles remained in peak condition from constant training.

Catra’s core attributes remained: multicolored eyes, ears, and a tail, with a wild mane of dark hair and ink-black claws. But something major had changed about her physique—she was pregnant, extremely so, wearing a loose red dress and orthopedic sandals beneath her usually-bare feet.

“Don’t baby me,” Catra muttered as Adora helped her up a step. They entered one of the Fright Zone’s main buildings, once soldiers’ barracks and now home to a lively and diverse community.

Adora smiled and stroked Catra’s bare arm. “Sorry,” she said, quiet enough that the procession couldn’t hear her. “I don’t mean to make you look weak.”

“I _know_ I’m not weak,” Catra grunted. “I’m days away from expelling this thing from my womb, and I’m out here, far from home, working.”

“You should be tucked in bed with a book and some tea,” Adora said. “But for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here.”

“Yeah, well,” Catra said as the procession reached their desired destination. “I’d never miss an opportunity to see an old friend.”

Glimmer, who stood at the front of the procession, cleared her throat for silence. Adora straightened her back and looked forward, her military training never having quite left her.

The door of the office, formerly Lord Hordak’s throne room, whipped open, and behind it stood a large and excited woman with bright red claws.

“You’re here!” Scorpia exclaimed, immediately wrapping Glimmer up in a hug. “Aw, you guys, come on in!”

Scorpia, the leader, manager, and official hype-woman of the settlement, welcomed the procession into a large room containing public employees processing refugee paperwork (even a decade after the war, people were still without homes from the Horde’s damages). The walls of the cavernous room were lined with colorful lights and drawings by local children, and a few faun-folk Adora recognized as Thaymorians sat at a nearby desk, receiving aid.

“Scorpia,” Bow enthused, “this looks wonderful!”

“Thanks,” Scorpia said. “We’ve put a lot of work into making the Fright Zone a less frightening place.”

“It’s fantastic,” Glimmer said, holding her father’s staff at her side. As the Princess of Bright Moon, she was in charge of many important Etherian political affairs, so this trip was a welcome opportunity to relax. “Looks like we don’t need to help with much here—you’ve got this.”

“Thanks,” the white-haired woman said, smiling and rubbing her neck. “Means a lot, coming from you.”

Glimmer nodded, stepping aside to reveal Catra and Adora behind her. Scorpia’s eyes widened.

“KITTY!” she exclaimed, barreling forward. “I won’t hug you, because pregnant, but… oh, it’s so great to see you! You too, Adora, looking good, hitting the gym as usual?”

Adora grinned and flexed. “You know it.”

“Hi, Scorpia,” Catra said, a hand on her belly. “I think the baby’s kicking, wanna feel?”

Scorpia extended a claw with reverence and felt the sensation of something shifting beneath Catra’s dress and skin. “Whoah…” she said. “Hello there, kitten.”

“That nickname’s gonna stick,” Adora said, grinning at Catra.

Catra rolled her eyes. “Better than what we’ve come up with.”

“You don’t have a name yet?” Scorpia asked as Bow and Glimmer conversed with another settlement official.

Catra shook her head. “We’re stumped.”

“Do you know the gender?”

“Nope,” Adora said. “Catra’s been talking to her Magicat family, they don’t do doctor’s appointments and stuff like humans. Apparently birth is kinda different for them, more hands-off, but just as gross.”

“It’ll be a surprise,” Catra said, taking Adora’s hand. “Either way, we’ll love it to pieces.”

“Aw,” Adora purred, “what a sap.”

“Really!” Scorpia exclaimed. “What happened to mean tortured villain Catra?”

Adora laughed. “You should see her when her feet start to hurt,” she said. “Or when she has morning sickness.”

Catra elbowed Adora. “We’re at a serious political meeting representing Bright Moon, you can’t just bring up my vomit!”

“It’s super gross, and if I don’t hold her hair, it gets everywhere—”

“A _do_ ra!”

Scorpia chuckled and crossed her arms. “So when are you due?”

“Next week,” Catra said. “To plan is deliver back at Bright Moon.”

“Oh, I’m so excited for you!” Scorpia exclaimed. “But still… no name planned yet? That’s bold.”

“I think we’ll just know when the moment comes,” Adora said.

Catra smirked. “I’m gonna be busy screaming in agony, probably, but whatever.”

Adora squeezed Catra’s hand. “I’ll be there with you,” she said. “I promise.”

“I know,” Catra said, and it was the damn truth.

~

The hallways were the same, but everything else was entirely different.

“It’s crazy,” Adora said, leading Catra to their shared quarters. They’d be staying the night, along with the rest of the procession, since travelling to the Fright Zone was a strenuous journey from Bright Moon.

“Do you we could ever find our places in all this?” Catra asked, waving to a happy family of reptile-people.

“Like the barracks and the training room? Not sure,” Adora shrugged.

“And Shadow Weaver’s quarters,” Catra said darkly.

“Gone,” Adora said, “just like her.”

This was a reassurance, Adora squeezing Catra’s arm, but her wife still frowned.

“I still hate this place,” Catra admitted as Adora stopped at a closed door. “Even with all of Scorpia’s work, I just… the memories are too much.”

“Good things happened here, too,” Adora said, opening the door for Catra. “ _We_ happened here.”

“You weren’t around for the worst of it,” Catra said.

Adora frowned, hurt. Catra sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she said, leading Adora to the bed. Catra maneuvered her body to sit and Adora plopped down beside her.

“I know,” Adora said. “I’m sorry we had to grow up in a place like this.”

“Hey,” Catra said, a small smile sneaking onto her face. “Clearly we’re meant to be together, if we managed to get through all the bullshit.”

Adora rubbed circles on Catra’s hand with her thumb, looking thoughtfully around their room. It was basic, bare, with the same dull walls and lights they had known in their childhood and adolescence. In this isolated space, they could almost pretend they were back in the Horde, so many years ago…

“Come on, you must be tired,” Adora said, fluffing a pillow for Catra at the top of the bed.

Catra nodded, lying on her side. “The trip from Bright Moon isn’t so easy when you’re carrying a living being inside you,” she said as she settled in.

Adora laid on the other pillow, facing Catra. Their noses almost touched.

“You’re so beautiful,” Adora said, resting a gentle hand on Catra’s bump. “And brave, and smart, and good. I’m so happy we’re doing this together. I love you so much.”

Catra smiled peacefully, shutting her eyes. “Who’s the sap now?” she teased sleepily.

Suddenly, her eyes opened wide. “Shit.”

Adora shot up. “What? What’s wrong?”

Catra sat up slowly, face in disbelief. “Adora… I think my water just broke.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Would I fucking joke about this, Adora?!”

“I don’t know! You’re not due ‘till next week!”

Catra ripped the blanket away and Adora gasped. It was really happening.

“Oh, hell no,” Catra said, trying to get herself out of bed. “I’m not doing this here.”

“Wha—lay back down!” Adora cried. “I… I should go get Bow and Glimmer!”

“I told you, I don’t need an audience!” Catra insisted, standing up despite Adora’s protests. “And I’m not bringing our child into the world in the fucking Fright Zone!”

“What are you suggesting?” Adora said, incredulous. “We steal another skiff and head to the Whispering Woods while you’re having contractions?”

After a moment’s pause, Catra nodded—and Adora knew there was no point in resisting.

~

It was far from a hospital, but Adora trusted Catra and her Magicat kin—giving birth in nature was safe, and fine, and _everything was going to be fine_. That was the mantra Adora repeated to herself as she sat beside her wife, who continued to have contractions on the forest floor.

“You seriously prefer this to a bed?” Adora asked, rubbing Catra’s shaking shoulder.

Grimacing, Catra nodded. “To a _Fright Zone_ bed, yeah,” she said. “Oh, ow ow ow ow.”

“Humans can get medicated for the pain,” Adora said. “Angella told me she had an epidural for Glimmer.”

“Good for her,” Catra said. “Hey, water, please.”

Adora nodded and grabbed the Sword of Protection from her travel pack, transforming it into a bottle. She stepped over to the nearby forest stream, filling the golden container with fresh flowing water.

It was beautiful place, really—a quiet pocket in the otherwise noisy woods, a clearing surrounded with dense and colorful trees. The skiff was parked just a minute away, with a full tank of gas for their return to civilization. The stream babbled pleasantly and the stars shone above Adora and Catra. This was the setting of new life, something holy and beautiful… and, despite her anxiety, Adora had to admit that it worked.

Adora passed Catra the bottle and forced her into a sitting position, helping her take a sip.

“Thanks,” Catra said, wiping her mouth. “Contractions are getting closer and closer, so…”

“Yeah,” Adora said, expression full of panic. She held Catra’s face as though it could disappear any seconds. “Things are never gonna be the same ever again.”

Catra smiled and nuzzled into Adora’s palm. “I knew you’d lose your shit in the moment. Breathe, baby. It’s going to be okay.”

“How are you so calm?”

“Dunno,” Catra said, leaning back down. “I just am. It’s like—aw _shit_ , contraction, they’re getting so close—”

Adora took Catra’s hand and squeezed. “It’s really happening,” she said. “We’re gonna have a kid.”

“Yep,” Catra said, her teeth bared as she withstood the pain. “We’re gonna show this little fucker all the good Etheria has to offer. No Horde, no Fright Zone. No way.”

“Please don’t call our incoming child ‘little fucker,’” Adora said through a smile, tears of emotion running down her cheeks.

“Oh shit, I think it’s happening,” Catra cried out.

Adora squeezed Catra’s hand with the might of She-Ra. “I’m right here.”

Catra nodded, eyes squeezed shut in pain and concentration. “Little fucker…”

“ _Catra!_ ”

A scream, followed by another. The babbling of the stream, the wind through the trees. And then…

The sound of a baby crying.

“Adora…” Catra muttered, holding the infant in her arms. “Water, gotta wash off…”

Adora, eyes, awed, assisted in the cleaning of the child. An impossibly tiny being, held in Catra’s arms, eyes still shut. The same peach-fuzz fur covering, ears, and tail as its mother, only in the color grey.

“It’s a boy!” Adora squeaked, placing down the sword-bottle. “Catra, we have a _son_!”

Peaceful, exhausted, Catra nuzzled into the body in her arms. Adora wrapped her strong arms around her wife, completing the family unit.

“I love you both so much,” Adora said. The baby still cried, but not from pain. Catra hushed him anyway.

“We’re gonna take care of you,” she reassured her child. “You’re never going to feel unloved.”

“We promise,” Adora said, like a prayer.

The baby quieted slowly, leaning into Catra’s chest.

“Hey, Adora…” Catra said, her voice dry. “We still need a name.”

“Shit,” Adora muttered. “Uh… we’re in the Whispering Woods. How about Woods?”

“Babe, I love you, but that’s the dumbest fucking thing you’ve ever said.”

“So no Woods,” Adora said. “Tree? Stream? Forest?”

Catra’s eyes widened. “Wait,” she said. “ _Forrest_. I like that. Forrest.”

“Yeah?” Adora asked, leaning into Catra’s shoulder.

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” Adora said, her hold around her wife and son tightening. “His name is Forrest.”

“Our son.”

“Mhm.”

It wasn’t long before Forrest began to cry again. Adora stood up, knowing that she’d need to start taking steps forward.

“Catra,” she said, tapping her wife’s shoulder. “He should get a better wash, and you need rest. Nursing’s gotta happen eventually, too. We can’t stay here much longer.”

Catra looked down at Forrest, whose eyes were half-opened, the same grey-blue as Adora’s.

“But… the Fright Zone…”

“Bad things happened there,” Adora said, “but we filled it with love too. Anywhere we go, we’ll fill it with love.”

Catra stirred slightly, and Forrest looked up at his mama. Adora stared down at both, brimming with pride and adoration.

After a moment's pause, Catra nodded and passed the infant to Adora, who held him close.

“Fuck, fine, you’re right,” Catra said, a small smiling sneaking onto her face. “I was being ridiculous dragging us out here.”

“I wasn’t going to argue with the hysterical pregnant woman at the time,” Adora said, “but yeah, a little bit.”

“You’re driving the skiff,” Catra muttered as she shakily stood. Her strength continued to blow Adora away.

Adora took Catra’s hand and led her out of the clearing.

They traveled in the night breeze, but they were already home.

**Author's Note:**

> i am so sappy for catradora moms... would anyone want more one-shots involving an older forrest or their other future kid?


End file.
